The export barriers identified in this study are similar to export barriers described in earlier work (Campbell, 1 996; C.S. Katsikeas & Morgan, 1 994). Shaw and Darroch (2004) who investigated export barriers in New Zealand had comparable results. Their results revealed that financial and other resource issues are the most serious problems that impact on a firm's ability to achieve a competitive advantage in export. Other difficulties that firms face are: shortages of skilled labour in certain industries. This skill shortage causes big problems concerning R&D, the possibility to increase productivity, and the development of new markets.
The major export barrier that most cases in this investigation share is that of limited resources. This is in line with findings from Crick and Spence where similar issues are mentioned (Crick & Spence, 2005). All cases face the challenging situation of a small but competitive domestic environment and the large geographical distances from most international markets. These problems are inherent to New Zealand (Shaw & Darroch, 2004; Simmons, 2002).
The majority of the investigated firms have few resources and fit the SME category. The literature normally defines SMEs through employee numbers and not through availability of resources in general. However, limited resources have often been associated with small operations. The often proposed barrier of a firm's small size as a critical obstacle towards internationalization (Mittelstaedt, Harben, & Ward, 2003) cannot be confirmed by this study. The findings support that the small size of firms does not mean that these firms are automatically prevented from internationalization
through lack of resources. A few studies in the literature show similar results and support this argument (McAuley, 1 999).
Since the previous study of Shaw and Darroch (2004) little has changed with regard to export barriers in New Zealand. Access to international markets and finding overseas customers is still a major problem. The 'beach head' programme by the New Zealand government is not taken up as widely as planned because the benefits for small exporters do not match the costs involved. The results show that the export managers spent a considerable amount of time and resources attempting to solve the access problem. The time available to management is generally very limited and a big concern. This lack of managerial time is aggravated by the reluctance to buy professional services such as market research for customary reasons. New Zealand has a tradition of DIY ("Do-It-Yourself') and this seems to coerce management of small businesses to perform as many tasks as possible. Adding to this is the major challenge to keep business costs as low as possible in order to be able to achieve high productivity and maintain competitiveness and profitability in overseas markets. Small firms feel that they need to conserve funds and make something out of "nothing". Baker and Nelson (2005) have similar results in their V.S.-based study. Therefore, traditionally in New Zealand managers are involved in various functions, such as product development, marketing, distribution issues, information and knowledge acquisition, as well as general management functions.
During the analysis of the export barriers it became clear that it was necessary to categorise the export barriers into only three main groups; the internal barriers, the external barriers and the industry barriers. This follows the example of Leonidou ( 1 995) and Alexandrides ( 1 97 1 ). The rationale for selecting these groups is that this design offers the researcher the necessary set-up to detect patterns for export performance which the successful firms display. Having a group with industry barriers allows comparing how businesses react to obstacles in similar circumstances. It also means that firms belonging to a related industry experience similar types of barriers which are typical to the export products involved. Firms from the same geographic location experience common problems when they use the same infrastructure, operate under the same legal framework, and have to cope with the same long distances from the major export markets. The shared domestic environment
accounts for much of the external obstacles. The differentiation allows comparisons as to how firms with similar export barriers respond to them because similar barriers impact on firms differently. Both, the industry specific barriers and the shared barriers require tactics and strategies to achieve export success.
The analysis of the firms' export performance in the light of their export barriers confirms the assumption. Firms that operate in related industries report similar or comparable barriers. However, although the barriers appear similar, the firms achieve different degrees of export success. Another significant finding is that high export performance is not restricted to a particular industry, sector or even export product. In fact, every industry has both high and low performers.
The "high tech" and IT industries have been described as typical industries for producing the prototype of the born global firm (Anderson & Wictor, 2003 ; Moen, 2002). The research findings support the notion that, although the IT industry has produced a large amount of early internationalising firms, they do not have exclusivity to being born globals or international new ventures. High export success is not restricted to this industry, other industries, including the primary sector, have
successful early internationalising firms, too. The findings suggest that the
differences in degree of export performance are caused by the varied managerial responses to the export barriers and that is regardless of the industry.
The results suggest three mam phases in the development of businesses where difficulties and obstacles are most concentrated. Please see Figure 1 3 (in the Appendix section) for Case C2 as an exemplar. The first stage is the period of R & D.
It is the time of acquiring technical know-how, gaining experience and turning experience from previous work into good ideas. It is also the point where managers and entrepreneurs develop their ideas for specific international markets. The next phase in the advancement of an international business can be identified as the stage of commercialisation. This is where decisions have to be made on how to best turn these ideas into products and commercial goods which can be sold in international markets. The third stage covers the time of strategy formulation and the attempt to put the export ventures into viable business operations.
Although, all the firms had to go through these three stages they experienced varying degrees of difficulties. Some solved their problems alone while others sought help. Regional and national economic development agencies in New Zealand offer services and support. These organisations are publicly funded and most portray themselves in a very positive image as highly effective. Exporters, however, do not always perceive their assistance as helpful and question the wisdom of spending much of tax payers' money with little outcome. This problematic situation does not seem to be country specific or limited to New Zealand. Research elsewhere also queries the effectiveness of development agencies with sometimes far-going policy implications (Nauwelaers & Wintjes, 2002).